Grubbing machine



June 13, 1950 w. F. WELCH GRUBBING MACHINE Filed Aug. 9, 1948 PatentedJune 13, 1950 UNITED STATES OFF 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inportable manually operable mechanical structures which have become knownas grubbing devices, machines and implements and the principal purposeof the invention is, obviously, to provide structural means which isstrong and simple, susceptible of easy handling and reliably eihcient inoperation in grappling and uprooting bushes, saplings, small trees, rootstumps and the like.

As the introductory statement of the invention clarifies, I am awarethat many and varied types and forms of lifting and. pullin devices areold and well known. Therefore, it is an object of the present inventionto structurally, functionally and. otherwise improve upon known formsand styles .of grubbing machines and the like.

One object is to provide a practical and efficient stand characterizedby a base and a standard swivelly mounted on the base, said standardbeing slotted and said slot serving to accommodate a hinging andassembling bolt which serves to attach a lever to the stand, the leverbeing adiustably mounted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel grappling unitwhich is such that it adequately and tenaciously grabs and clamps smallsaplings and bushes ranging anywhere from less than an inch to fourinches in diameter.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from thefollowin description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a grubbing machine or deviceconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present inventionshowing the manner in which same is applied and used;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure seen in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front end elevation of the structure shown in Figures 1and 2 with the grappling unit or device removed for clearness ofillustration;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the grappling device per se;

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of details of said grapplingdevice.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals thestand structure is of appropriate size and materials and ischaracterized by a base 8 made up of downwardly disuitable headstructure Hi and connected at their lower ends to appropriate groundcontacting feet H. The standard unit I 2 comprises a pair of uprights inspaced parallel relation l3 having their upper ends connected togetherby a handle formin strap I4. The lower ends connect with a disk-likehead I5 which rests upon head Ill and which is swivelly connectedthereto as at It. The uprights l3 are provided with slots ll which areproperly elongated and aligned and these have appropriate bayonet-typenotches for keeper seats l8 and I9 to accommodate a hinging andassembling bolt 20.

The bolt -20, carried by the lever 2!, serves to mount same between theuprights. In fact, the lever is provided with a slot 22 having keeperseats 23 for adjustable reception of the bolt and under this arrangementthe slots in the upright and the slot in the lever, plus the bolt meansserves to permit a considerable range of adjustment. That is to say, thelever 2| may be raised as to elevation and thus has three positions,high, low and intermediate. These positions are obtained and maintainedby the bolt fitting into the notches I8 and. 19 as desired. The levermay be shifted horizontally by way of the slot 22, in an obvious mannerthus to locate the adapter hooks 24 and 25, bolted at 26, to the outerend of said lever. The lever is bodily liftable and lowerable forelevational purposes and is tiltable vertically on the horizontal axis20. In addition, the entire standard, carrying the adjustable lever isturnable in a horizontal plane on the vertical axis provided by the boltH3. The numeral 21 is merely a brace bolt or stay for the legs 9.

The grappling device or unit is denoted, generally speaking, by thenumeral 28 and is a simple pair of tongs embodying links 29 and 30hingedly connected in crossed relation as at 3| asverging legs 9attached at their upper ends to a 555 sisted by a bracing cleat 32. Thenormal upper ends of the links carry a chain 33, the links of which, areadapted to be adjustably connected with the hooks 24 and 25. There is acylindrical wooden block 34 bolted, as at 35, to the lower end of onelink and this in turn has a double prong plate 36 bolted thereto, as at31. A complemental rectangular plate 38 is provided and this has cuttingteeth and is opposed to the plate 355 and the two plates effectivelyembrace and grip the trunk or stem 39 of the tree, bush or the like 453.The lower end of the link 29 is notched, as at Al, to accommodate a bolt42 which serves to securely fasten the cutter plate 38 in place. It willbe noticed that the inner work contacting surface of the wooden blockhas a semi-cylindrical notch therein which provides an effective seatfor the trunk of the tree, all as brought out in Figure 2.

In practice the stand is placed close to the bush to be lifted andextracted and the lever is properly adjusted to bring the same at theproper plane and close enough to the trunk of the tree as shown inFigure 1. Then, the grappling means is hooked in. place byway of thehooks. 2t and 25, as the case may be, and assisted by the aforementionedchain 33. Obviously, when the force is applied to the grappling device28, the gripping devices on the jaws or links are brought' firmlytogether and grip the trunk of the tree on diametrically opposite sidesas'brought out in the drawings. Now, the tree may'beeasilyup rooted andextracted.

A careful consideration of the foregeing' description in conjunctionwith the invention as illustrated in thedrawings will, enable the;reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression. of the allegedfeatures of merit and novelty sufiicient' to clarify the: constructionof the invention as hereinafter claimed;

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts maybe resorted to in" actual practice so. long. as no departure i madefrom" the invention as claimed.

Havingdescribed the invention, what is-claiin-ed as new K 1. Inagrubbing machine-of the class described, a supporting stand comprising abase; said base embodying a head; legs depending from said. head, andfeet, said feet being attached to the lower ends: of said legsandadapted to rest on the ground or other supporting surface; a standard,said' standard having a head superimposed upon said. first named head, aswivelling and: assembling' bolt connecting said" heads together, saidstandard embodying spaced.parallel uprights having'notched' slots: inopposed alignment,- a lever having av portion fitting between saiduprights, said lever having a slot, 2, bolt operable in the first namedslots. to connect the lever with the uprights, said bolt also being,operable in the second named slot to adiustably attach' the lever tothe'uprights,

2. In a grubbing. machine'of the class described, asupporting standcomprising a base, said base embodying-a head, legs depending from saidhead,

and feet, said feet being attached to the lower ends of said legs andadapted to rest on the ground or other supporting surface, a standard,said standard having a head superimposed upon said first named head, aswivelling and assembling bolt connecting said heads together, saidstandard embodying spaced parallel uprights having notched slots inopposed alignment, a lever having a portion fitting between saiduprights, said lever having a slot, a bolt operable in the first namedslots to connect the lever with the uprights, said bolt also beingoperable in the second named slot to adjustably attach the lever to theuprights, the upper ends of said uprights being connected by a handle.

3. In a grubbing machine of the class described,

a supporting stand comprising a base, said base embodying a head, legsdepending from said head, and feet, said feet being attached to thelower ends of said legs and adapted to rest on the ground or othersupporting surface, a standard, said' standard having a; headsuperimposed upon said first named head, a swivelling andassembling boltconnecting said heads together, said standard embodying spaced paralleluprights having notched slots in opposed alignment, a; lever having aportion fitting between said up-- rights, said lever having a slot, abolt operable in the'first named slots to connect th leverwith theuprights, said bolt also being operable'inthe second. namedslot toadjustably attach the-.- lever to the uprights, the'upper' ends ofsaid'uprights. being connected by'a handle, said lever being pro vided'at its free swingableworking end% with detachably mounted, selectivelyusable grapplev ac.- commeda-ting hooks.

WALTER F. WELC-H.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 691,339 Hall Oct. 1, 1867 556,689Oliver Mar. IT, 1896 FOREIGN PATENTS Nur-nber Country Date 13,275 GreatBritain July 23, 1900

